MOVABLE BODY CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20080052996A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: SUGIURA, Takehiko
• Application Number:
  US11/842,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052996A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/28
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/483 for detection during opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/814 Sound emitters, e.g. speakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/816 Voice emitters
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/40 Protection E05Y2400/50, E05Y2400/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/67 Materials; Strength alteration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/50 for vehicles

Abstract

A movable body control apparatus includes: a contact detector configured to detect a contact between a movable body and an object, the contact detector outputting a signal when detecting the contact therebetween; object-removable judging portion inputted with the signal and configured to distinguish the contact of the object against the movable body from a removable of the object from the movable body, and to judge the removable of the object, the distinction and judgment being implemented based upon a characteristic of variations in the signal outputted from the contact detector; and movement-controlling portion for automatically moving the movable body in the same direction as a direction in which the movable body is moving when the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object while the movable body is moving.

Claims

1. A movable body control apparatus comprising:

a contact detector configured to detect a contact between a movable body and an object, the contact detector outputting a signal when detecting the contact therebetween;

an object-removable judging portion inputted with the signal and configured to distinguish the contact of the object against the movable body from a removable of the object from the movable body, and to judge the removable of the object, the distinction and judgment being implemented based upon a characteristic of variations in the signal outputted from the contact detector; and

an movement-controlling portion for automatically moving the movable body in the same direction as a direction in which the movable body is moving when the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object while the movable body is moving.

3. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristic of variations in the signal outputted from the contact detector includes variations in polarity of the signal, and the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object when the signal varies in a polar direction, the polar direction which is opposite to a polar direction in which the signal varies upon the contact.

5. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object based upon the variations in polarity of the signal and based upon a comparison between the level of the signal and a predetermined threshold level.

6. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the contact detector is a piezoelectric sensor having flexibility and arranged at an edge of the movable body.

8. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the contact detector is a piezoelectric sensor having flexibility and arranged at an edge of the movable body.

10. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the contact detector is a piezoelectric sensor having flexibility and arranged at an edge of the movable body.

11. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the movable body is an opening and closing member for use in a vehicle and mounted on the vehicle.

12. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the opening and closing member for use in the vehicle includes at least one of a slide door, a rear door, a trunk lid, a lifting window, a sunroof and an opening wing for a luggage.

13. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a movable body-operating portion configured to move the movable body automatically, and wherein

the movement-controlling portion controls the movable body-operating portion to automatically move the movable body in the same direction as the direction in which the movable body is moving when the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object while the movable body is moving.

2. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the characteristic of variations in the signal outputted from the contact detector includes variations in a level of the signal outputted from the contact detector, and the object-removable judging portion judges the contact of the object against the movable body when the level of the signal varies to a negative level and judges the removable of the object when the level of the signal varies to a positive level.

4. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object based upon the variations in the level of the signal and based upon a comparison between the level of the signal and a predetermined threshold level.

7. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the contact detector is a piezoelectric sensor having flexibility and arranged at an edge of the movable body.

9. A movable body control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the contact detector is a piezoelectric sensor having flexibility and arranged at an edge of the movable body.

14. A method of controlling a movable body, comprising the steps of:

detecting a contact between a movable body and an object based on a signal outputted from a contact detector;

distinguishing the contact of the object against the movable body from a removal of the object from the movable body based upon a characteristic of variations in the signal;

judging the removable of the object based upon the characteristic of variations in the signal; and

automatically moving the movable body in the same direction as a direction in which the movable body is moving when the object-removable judging portion judges the removable of the object while the movable body is moving.